pyrite in mica shiste

[fshfrk]

Yup my rocks might be a problem. Fools gold=pyrite.

http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Mica-Schist

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/rock_metals.php

[imagirlgeek]

OH NO! So is the pyrite visible in your rocks? Are you noticing more problems in the tank with this rock? Give me details, man! Details!

[gotticgs]

damn john this really sucks ! You are going to have to rescape all of them but atleast you know why all the issues are happening

[fshfrk]

I just see a few veins of what looks like quartz. I guess I could soak a rock in a bucket for a week and moniter ph,kh,& gh. I got a lot of money invested in these rocks so hopefully I can keep them. Hopefully a fish keeping geoligist will chime in.

[gotticgs]

yeah but you never had problems before !

[fshfrk]

yeah but you never had problems before !

The trews and these dam eye problems. I'm looking at 1 floating around like he's in space. My water sux!

[SteveCGG]

I just see a few veins of what looks like quartz. I guess I could soak a rock in a bucket for a week and moniter ph,kh,& gh. I got a lot of money invested in these rocks so hopefully I can keep them. Hopefully a fish keeping geoligist will chime in.

it's been too many years since graduation, but....

#1 where did you get the rocks?
#2 were any chemicals used near the rocks (ie bug killer, weed killer etc)
#3 what other minerals did they tell you were in the rocks?
#4 is the rock pretty solid or does it flake easily?

maybe a chemist can suggest a polyurethane or resin to coat the rocks with...like they do with a lot of gravels...you'll still get the look without the problems (I hope)

[Darbex]

Only thing I would say is if you are getting the water from the tap then your pH is going to be around 8. Unless you have rock of false gold then the creation of sulphuric acid is going to be small meaning it shouldnt meaningfully lower your pH and in turn wont affect the heavy metals that may be in the rock since the pH of the water is not low enough to break them down. Check your waters pH before putting in the tank and after a week or so.

[fshfrk]

Only thing I would say is if you are getting the water from the tap then your pH is going to be around 8. Unless you have rock of false gold then the creation of sulphuric acid is going to be small meaning it shouldnt meaningfully lower your pH and in turn wont affect the heavy metals that may be in the rock since the pH of the water is not low enough to break them down. Check your waters pH before putting in the tank and after a week or so.

Yea ph is 8. Tested every tank in the house and the tap water. The rocks flake but not to bad. The golden shiste was picked up in the dakotas. It can not be collected any more because of some Indian federal thing? I will keep a eye on this and moniter the water. Thanks Ya'll!!!

[blacksmith37]

You should only use gniess schist. And don't read so much. Pryrite is inert; in air it will slowly (geologic time) go to iron oxides and sulfate.
The iron sulfide that bursts into flame when exposed to air (corrosion product in some refinery units) would be a problem.